Studies of patient education provided during diagnosis and treatment have demonstrated time savings and cost reductions as well as improvements in patient satisfaction, better health outcomes, better compliance, more empowered patient decision making, and reduced medical malpractice. In a healthcare environment where there is relentless pressure to reduce costs, the value of patient education as a cost savings tool is appreciated.
The market for patient education tools is very large. On average, Americans visit their doctor 3.5 times per year—totaling approximately 985 million patient encounters per year. 40 million people have surgery each year. Each of these encounters or procedures generates an opportunity for patient education.
Currently physicians and hospitals use a variety of methods for patient education. The primary tool for patient education is direct communication, i.e. talking between the provider and the patient. Often times the provider uses demonstrations, such as by using previously prepared or contemporaneously prepared images to supplement the discussion. Written materials, such as brochures, handouts, and other written material can also be provided to the patient. Audiovisual material, such as videos can sometimes be provided to the patient, or given to the patient to watch in their own homes, or in a waiting room or lobby.
Each of these methods has an associated cost in time or materials, and limitations. In present healthcare provider settings, providers often do not have enough time to fully explain diagnoses or procedures to patients. Materials that are previously prepared may not explain the particular details that make a particular patient's procedure different than one that is common or routine. Audiovisual materials, with nothing further, do not provide ability for the patient to ask questions.
One example of commercially available materials for dental practice are those offered by Orasphere. Orasphere provides a variety of still images and animations for use in dentistry, see www.orasphere.com. While these materials may include good quality images, the content is passive; it cannot be changed or adapted to a specific patient's needs or situation. FIGS. 13A and 13B show examples of content from a dental collection. These icons launch pre-recorded animations. Again, the content cannot be altered in real time.
Another example of the prior art is called the CAESY system, which is a collection of multimedia content delivered on DVD. A viewing system can be set up in a dental office operatory or reception area for patient use. The patient can select content to view as desired. The content is all pre-recorded and fixed in the DVD.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other limitations in the prior art.